Observation bus



J l 14, 1931. L AMODEO 1,814,884

OBSERVATION BUS Filed Dec. 31, 1929 4 Sheets-Shet 1 gwumtoz zor'en o Q170 deo 88 I 4 W $3; I

Julfl 1931. i L. AMODEO A L OBSERVATiON BUS Filed De c 31, 192% 4 S heetS-Sheet 2 L. AMODEO OBSERVATION BUS F'iled Dec. 51, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet3 July 14, 1931. I l AMODEO 1,814,884

OBSERVATION BUS Filed Dec. 51, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 14,1931 LORENZO AMODEO, OF--1\TEW' YORK, N. Y.

OBSERVATION 'B' 's Application filed December 31, T929. Serial No.417,696.

This invention has relation to motor driven observation or sight seeingbuses of double deck construction and has for its object theconstruction of a vehicle of such character s having greaterconveniences for the accommodation of passengers than the buses now inuse.

The invention relates more particularly to the construction and interiorarrange- "1 ment of the body of the vehicle and in the provision ofnovel means for seating the passengers, for facilitating their ingressand egress, and for permitting the easy and safe transition of thepassengers from one com- 1 partment to another and for their ascent toand descent to and from one deck of the vehide to another.

The invention incidentally relates to the provision of means affordingaccess to the under part of chassis of the vehicle and for enabling thedriver'to open and close the several doors leading to the interior ofthe vehicle and between compartments.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination hereinafter specifically described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the vehicle;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 8-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4et of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical central section on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Flgure 2;

Flgure 7 1s a fragmentary vert1cal section through the lower deckportion on the line 77 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section on the line 8-8 ofFigure 4; and

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the vehicleon the line 9-9 of Figure 6. I

The vehicle comprises a suitable chassis mounted on wheels 1-2 andequipped with a suitable motor of the usual character, a steering shaftand transmission and brake mechsashes with glass panes.

anism 'which'need not'be illustrated or described.

Thetbody 'of'the vehicle generally designated 'bythenumeral "3 comprisesa suitable *lower floor 3 and is preferably of oval or "elliptical 'formin horizontal section asillustrated in Figs. 1' and 3 in which'the'exterior wall isdesignated by the numeral 4 and an interior partitionwall by the numeral 5. Between these walls there is an aisle, space orcorridor '6 on the lower deck of the vehicle, and on-the "upper "deck agenerally similar aisle, or passage way 6 which arein each casecontinuous. The mner walls or :parti=tions define inner compartments 27,7'.

-Bothfin'ner and outer spaces are provided with seats 8 and 9conveniently arranged. A floor 10 separates the upper and lower decks;

In the middle or center portion of the 7} floor 10 "there is an opening11, and rising from-the 'lower floor is a winding. stairway 12 leadingby way' of the 1 opening 11 to the upper deck. i

In both the outer-and inner walls window openings 13 are provided andhavewindow In the r'earmost portion'of the inner wall, onthe upper deck,doorways 14 are'arranged H yandlead from the inner to the outer spacesgo or compartments.

7 --Access is bad to the vehicleby doorways F15xonweither'side at thefront of the vehicle on :the :lower deck. i V The doorway 15 with its"door 15" are intended forthe entrance and exit of pas- Y :sengers, andthe door is operable only by the driver or motor man. This door issuitably -mounted for sliding movement and is attached at the top to achain lh which passes 1J0 around suitably arranged-sprocket wheels 51one of which is keyed upon a vertical shaft 15 located near themotormans seat 19,'1and:,provi'ded with an operating handle 2.0. Thechain 15 is also attached to an'd controls the movement of a sliding'door 21 leading to the inner space or compartment -:of :the lower:deck', such door being located onwtheop-positeside of the vehicle fromthe door 5' *AdOor way-23 in the inner wall "1 of the lower deck,provided with a hinged door 24: afi'ords passage way to and from theinner space to the outer space adjacent to the sliding door 15, and asimilar door 26 is arranged and adapted to close and open the way to theouter space on the side opposite the doorway 23.

As will be observed, the outer wall of the vehicle, extends aconsiderable distance below the lower floor, outside the rear wheels,and to afford convenient access to the latter and the contiguous partsof the wheel installation an opening in the wall, on either side isformed, as indicated at 30, and provided with hinged gates 31 openingoutwardly, opposite the .rear wheels, whichare prising a closed body ofdouble deck construction, an inner wall spaced from the side wallproviding inner and outer seating compartments on both decks, therebeing communicating doorways between the compartments and a centralstairway forming com munication between the inner compartments of theupper and lower decks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LORENZO AMODEO.

located interiorly of the inner wall of the vehicle in the lower edgeportion of which .arcuate gaps are formed, concentric with the hindwheels. Coinciding openings 32 are made in the floor of the lower deck,opposite the gates 31 and these openings have closures 33 hinged to thefloor framing and opening upwardly.

When the closures 33 are raised at their free ends, access may be had tothe wheels and axle ends from the interior of the vehicle and furtheraccess is facilitated by opening the gates 31 outwardly.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, the gates 31 may be made with inwardlyextending ledges 34: to aid in the support of the closures 33, when thelatter are closed.

The closures 33 are provided at their inner edges with wall sections 35,which, when the closures are lowered, cover the gaps in the inner wallof the vehicle. the vehicle is provided with a centrally located window36 for observation purposes and the admission of light.

I claim v 1. A vehicle of the type described comprising a closed bodyhaving outer and inner walls, and double floors forming lower and upperdecks with outer passages, having seating capacity, and with centralcompartments enclosed by the-inner walls, and com municating with eachother by a central stairway between the upper and lower floors.

2. A vehicle as recited inclaim 1, having doorways between theouter andinner compartments, and means for ingress and egress from the outside ofthe vehicle.

3. 'A vehicle of the type described comprising a closed body havingouter and inner walls defining outer and inner seating c0mpartments andbench seats in each compartment, entrance doors in each wall.

4. A vehicle of the type described com prising a closed double deckedbody having outer and inner walls defining outer and inner seatingcompartments and bench seats in'each compartment, entrance doors in eachwall and a central stairway between decks.

5. A. vehicle of the type described com- The roof of

